The bright flash dignifies

The encapsulation of a moment on a two by three slip of plastic

Whose corners are caught between thumb and finger.

The photo dries and the white fades

Into an image

As I lean my head closer

And let my eyes drip into the inks of the photograph

The colors of skin and hair and eyes coalesce to form a memory

Every detail is static

The phantom winds blow

And the waves crash silently

And the plants grow.

And the people don’t move,

But a moment comes alive.